Interpreting Historical Events Using the Sociological Imagination
An exploration of certain events in St. Louis in the 1950’s
Overview
Students will navigate the St. Louis Virtual City Website for purposes of
applying their Sociological Imagination to historical events in St. Louis
in the 1950’s. Students will use this opportunity to address various
events as sociologists applying the functionalist, conflict and inter-actionist
perspectives. This assignment will require students to examine historical
events focusing on the individual and group in relationship to those events.
Final product will be a case study of a specific event.
Objectives
After completing this lesson, students will:
- Students will identify the various
sociological perspectives (functionalist, conflict and inter-actionist)
and the sociologists (Spencer, Durkheim, Marx,
Weber) who originally developed those perspectives.
- Students will be able
to navigate the St. Louis Virtual City Website in order to locate assigned
historical events.
- With regard to the specific event, students will identify
(1) individuals and groups involved (2) the main issues/conflicts (3) the
objectives and
(4) ultimate resolutions.
- Students will apply “sociological imagination” and
explain the relationship of the individuals to the events using the functionalist,
conflict
or inter-actionist perspectives.
Show Me Standards CA 1,3,4,6
SS 6,7 Goals: 1.1,2,3,6 2.3 4.6
Process
- Individually students will be
given the opportunity to navigate the Website with specific instructions
to find events that will relate to the assignment.
- Upon completion of text and review
of concepts, students will be divided into groups: the "functionalist theorists",
the "conflict theorists" and the "inter-actionists".
- Students within each group will
be assigned specific tasks as related to the case study presentation
- Students will select specific
events pages, analyze a specific event, and write up an overview of the
event using the appropriate terminology and perspective.
- In the overview students will
address the individuals involved, the main issues, the resolution of the
issues and a corresponding event or concern in contemporary society. Students
will present their findings in case study format as if at a sociological
conference their analysis of those events.
Click here for student instructions